KEVIN Pietersen and Paul Collingwood are starting to revive memories of their marathon stand in Adelaide by putting England on top in the first Ashes Test in Cardiff.

The pair dragged the home side out of a precarious position of 3-90 to 3-194 at tea on day one at Test cricket's newest venue.

Pietersen (52no) and Collingwood (50no), who combined for a mammoth 310-run partnership at the Adelaide Oval in the 2006-07 Ashes series, had both played patiently on a pitch already playing low and slow.

There has been plenty of criticism from across the border about the decision to hand Cardiff the Ashes opener but England fans should be delighted with the Sophia Gardens pitch.

It looks like it is going to be hard work for Australia's quicks and captain Andrew Strauss should be heartened by the early signs of turn following his side's decision to play two specialist spinners.

Spearhead Mitchell Johnson (2-45) earlier rebounded from an ordinary start to lead the way for an Australian attack devoid of Ashes experience.

After opting to bat in clear conditions at the picturesque ground, Strauss (30) and Alastair Cook (10) negotiated the first half hour without great discomfort as Johnson bowled three largely ineffective overs.

But just as the Poms looked like making a dream start, Cook came undone playing away from his body at a wide Ben Hilfenhaus delivery.

It caught the edge and Mike Hussey took a spectacular diving catch to his right at gully and the Australians immediately turned up the heat on Ravi Bopara (35).

Paceman Peter Siddle (0-52) roughed him up in a menacing opening spell, his second ball to Bopara striking him just below the throat and deflecting onto the grill of his helmet.

He followed that with another short ball and the tourists even employed a field that crowded around Bopara's bat as the right-hander lived dangerously.

Johnson returned and made amends for his poor start by causing enormous grief to the English batsmen in the 20th over of the innings.

He had a confident lbw shout on Strauss turned down before deceiving Bopara with a slower ball, which the right-hander just managed to bunt over mid-off.

Johnson was rewarded with his final ball of the over with Strauss failing to handle a skidding short ball that crashed into his gloves and lobbed gently to Michael Clarke at first slip.

Pietersen entered and brought all of his nervous energy to the field with a streaky start.

Then just before lunch, Johnson showed all of his smarts to deliver another slower ball that again deceived Bopara with Phillip Hughes taking an easy catch at point from an errant drive.

Australia earlier made the surprise decision to play Hilfenhaus (1-27) instead of Stuart Clark but the Tasmanian swing bowler justified his selection in the opening session.

Spinner Nathan Hauritz (0-41) was also picked and he came on 20 minutes after lunch with three fielders immediately posted on the leg-side boundary.

The Australians clearly tried to test Pietersen's patience but he resisted his natural instincts to launch Hauritz and part-time spinner Clarke by pushing the ball around.